The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-02
THE SLENkER SCANDAL.
The Free Love Advocate Being Prosecuted
by the Postal Authorities.

LYSoHBuRG, Va, May I.--An additional
chapter in the Slenker scandal was reported yes
terday in the preliminary hearing of Mrs. Slen-
ker before United States Commissioners Tinsley.
District Attorney Allen represented the govern
ment. The prisoner had no counsel When
asked If she wanted any, she replied in the neg
ative saying that no lawyer in this section could
appreciate the situation or get in sympathy
with it, and that at the proper time she would
secure counsel from New York. The charge
against Mrs. Slenker is a violation of the postal
regulations which prohibit sending obscene
matter through the mails. The only witnesses
for the prosecution were Postofice Inspector
Barclay, and McAfee, the Southwestern agent
for the Society for the Suppression of Vice.
number of letters relating to free-love ideas,
which were found in Mrs. SleukerS possession,
were produced in evidence. They were cnarac
terlzed throughout by immoral sentiments IN
expressions of most disgusting obscenity. When
asked whether she wished to m AXE a statement
she replied that she did. but that she did not want
TO be sworn on the Bible, as she was material
lst, and did not believe IN the Bible, Christian
ity, God heaven. hell. devils, angels or ghosts.
She believed that when she died she would
merely return to dust. and that would be the end
of 1t. She said that her whole life had been de-
voted to the peculiar doctrines which she advo-
Gated for the benefit of humanity. She con-
Guided her statement by saying that she did not
regard her productions obscene; that those
who converted to her views woul soon
look on them in the same light they would ar
tIcles medicine surgery; that she had
never sent them except to individuals VINO
applied to her for them, that many OF the leaf
lets were not written by her, butt overe sent to
her from New York by express. When quas-
toned to the authorship of the book Diana"
she declined to give wer. Her case was
sent to the United States District Court at Ao-
ingdon, which meets next July. AS she was un-
able find bail she win be lodged in jail to
await her trial Mrs -Slenkers was originally
from New York Where she became convert to
the pernicious doctrines which She has since
disseminated. The Postofice Department has q
been working the for three
YEARS. but lvitheus securing sufficient evidence
to warrant her arrest inspector Barclay re-
ceived n legacy when. he entered Office.
eis teen months ago, and has been working on
it ever sineel "A gent hLeAfee. whose headGuar-
ters are IN ST. Louis, has been working on 1t
for several Years Mrs. Slenker had scattered a
large mum ber Of copies Of ther book DIANA"
and the frea7loFer leaflets adj ever the country.
Mr.. Ne.Afee al fest came aeresS hem in lndi-
ana, and Immediately put himself gin communi-
cation with the Postoflce Department He and
Inspector Barclay Went TO work together. The
latter wrote her number Of letters, to which he
received eliminating replies. Aftsrward he Wis
ited her IN Snowvifle and questioned her on the
subject, bpt she was Suspicious and guarded in
her replies. and he failed to elicit any additional
inforr1Iatfuff -After conference with District
make the arrest. Mrs Slenker has been pro-
life writer and was a cores spondent of no less
than TWENTY-FIVE papers of different character
throughout the country. She was possibly more
widely. isnoSr than any other person of her Pc
culiar faith. f@4-fsI5h at4ss#4